The Majority Of US States Have Legalized Cannabis, So What Are The Feds Waiting For?
It's estimated that roughly 93 percent of Americans are in support of the legalization of cannabis.
Marijuana has already been legalized in 28 states and DC for medicinal purposes. It's also been legalized for medicinal purposes in Puerto Rico and Guam which are unincorporated US territories.
That means that the majority of the US has already passed laws affirming that they want to move forward in this direction and stop the drug war as far as the battle against cannabis. But there are still several states left which haven't legalized; it might only be a matter of time before we see acceptance of marijuana as a whole from every state.
But will it ever be endorsed at the federal level?...
Hundreds of thousands of US citizens have signed various petitions urging for federal authorities to change their mind on the matter but there hasn't been any budge on that front yet. And things are going to get very complicated for border guards in the near future when Canada finally unveils their full legalized cannabis operation that is expected to be finalized sometime in 2018 .
For example, with cannabis being legal in Canada and legalized in Washington state for recreational use, many travelers might want to go back and forth and partake in consuming cannabis on either side. But with federal restrictions still remaining relating to the use of this plant, it's going to be tricky for border guards who are acting on federal rules and not according to Washington state law. In the past, many travelers have been banned for life from entering the US, simply because they were truthful in admitting to the border guards that they had smoked cannabis in their lifetime.
And if you lie and they find out the truth afterward, that isn't going to be good either. Legal experts have suggested that for those who do get asked who don't want to answer truthfully in risk of being turned away forever, they should politely refuse to answer the question and the worst (it's suggested) that will happen to them is they will just be refused entry and can try again at a later time.
It's a little nutty to think that someone can be banned for life, and has been, from the US simply for having admitted to smoking cannabis. When both the current leader of Canada and the most recently retired of the US, have both admitted to smoking cannabis in their own lives.
For those who have been banned, many who could afford the legal fees have sought to reverse the restriction and some have been successful, but what a costly ordeal for many people to go through that could be avoided if federal authorities would finally embrace some common sense on the matter of cannabis.
For now, cannabis still remains classified as a Schedule 1 drug to federal authorities, along with heroin, GHB, DMT, peyote, and others.
Despite the slow acceptance from the federal level, the amount of civil disobedience being exercised in this matter has exploded in the last few years and the cannabis market despite federal restrictions, is expected to reach over $22 billion by 2021. The CBD market is a big part of that and that market alone is expected to make up about $3 billion of the overall cannabis market by 2021.
Pics:
Reset.me via reset.me/photo_gallery/medical-marijuana/
Macleans via macleans.ca/politics/washington/what-to-expect-when-you-cross-the-canada-u-s-border/
Sources:
https://steemit.com/cannabis/@doitvoluntarily/2016-cannabis-sales-surpass-usd6-7-billion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_cannabis_in_the_United_States
http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/if-youve-ever-smoked-marijuana-beware-of-the-u-s-border/
https://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=https://www.forbes.com/sites/debraborchardt/2016/12/12/the-cannabis-market-that-could-grow-700-by-2020/&refURL=https://www.google.ca&referrer=https://www.google.ca
http://www.newsweek.com/marijuana-legalization-legal-states-poll-pot-588105
Related Posts:
Over 89,000 Sign Petition Urging DEA To Change Their Mind On Cannabis
Big Pharma Funding Cannabis Opposition
https://steemit.com/cannabis/@doitvoluntarily/big-pharma-funding-cannabis-opposition
Drug Use And Human Rights
https://steemit.com/writing/@doitvoluntarily/drug-use-and-human-rights
You have to wonder at some point, wether it isn't just too much of a cash cow for them to give up.
A lot of federal jobs depend on keeping these laws in place.
Reminds me of the silly business of throwing packages of marihuana across the border from The Netherlands into Germany, which I myself never did, of course, just like I never inhaled.
The fed will never give in. Why? The global banking system is DEPENDENT on illicit drug money, the majority of which consists of marijuana sales. If marijuana were legalized federally the banking system would collapse. Notice how heroin has been flooding the streets more and more every year? That is the cartels trying to compensate for sales already lost to legalized marijuana. I am not for prohibition of any substance, it just doesn't work, but there are consequences to legalization.
I think we are going to be waiting a long time for this to happen at all in the UK :(
They say some of the results from medical cannabis have been amazing.
Wish i had bought medical cannabis stocks 12 months ago as well.
Great post.
a lot of health benefits we can get from cannabis not only prevent cancer but other diseases , the powerful drug! ;-) Great reads!
I think there is key point that once cannabis is approved, the cigarettes industry will get a big punch... so it is hard to to approved since it will damage the profit of cigarette industry.....
and perhaps the alcohol industry.. :)
https://steemit.com/food/@doitvoluntarily/survey-of-us-beer-drinkers-say-they-re-switching-to-cannabis
https://steemit.com/cannabis/@doitvoluntarily/growing-number-of-vineyards-are-opting-for-cannabis-farming
So I think the industry may take action to oppose the cannabis industry or join them ：）
And pharmaceutical companies.
http://www.newsweek.com/states-medical-marijuana-painkiller-deaths-drop-25-266577
Soon...Soon... they need money
At this point its a tide that can't be stopped. Positive results from states that are legalizing it will only build support further, and states that have yet to do so are starting to feel left out. Its a shame how much damage prohibition has done, and will continue to do, but this is a needed step and its going to happen.
hope so!
there's a simple answer on what they're waiting for: tax, loads of tax!